David Koch Dies At 79

Billionaire philanthropist, David Koch has died. The announcement was made by his brother, Chairman and CEO of Koch Industries, Charles Koch. Charles in a statement to the press said,

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my brother David,” Charles Koch said in a statement Friday. “Anyone who worked with David surely experienced his giant personality and passion for life.”

David Koch/📷 Twitter

Charles and David Koch were tied as the 11th richest men in the world, according to Forbes Magazine. David was worth $42.4 billion at the time of his death.They initially inherited their wealth from their father, after he passed.

Charles Koch 📷Twitter

David along with his brother Charles were strong donors to the conservative agenda and the Republican party. They created a tight network to support conservative, free market, libertarian values.

The Koch industry is massive and can be linked to many products you use. They own companies like Georgia Pacific, Flint Hills Resources, Guardian Industries, Invista and the list goes on.

Though the Koch brothers tried to distance themselves from candidate Trump in the 2016 elections, they were still behind endorsing a great part of his political agenda. They are known to support massive tax cuts for the rich, environmental deregulation and supported groups who lobbied against climate change.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer 27 years ago and given 5 years to live. Since then, he has contributed millions of dollars to cancer research and supporting the cause.

He is survived by his lovely wife Julia and three children. His wife issued a statement after his passing,

“While we mourn the loss of our hero, we remember his iconic laughter, insatiable curiosity, and gentle heart. His stories of childhood adventures enlivened our family dinners; his endless knowledge rendered him our ‘walking Google.’ His sensitive heart had him shed a tear at the beauty of his daughter’s ballet, and beam with pride when his son beat him at chess. “We will miss the fifth link in our family.”